The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Cancer Patients.

In December 2019, a novel coronavirus called severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) caused an outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Severe complications have been reported to occur in 33% of patients with COVID-19 and include acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, acute respiratory injury, septic shock, and severe pneumonia. Currently, there is no specific treatment or approved vaccine against COVID-19 and many clinical trials are currently investigating potential medications to treat COVID-19. The immunosuppressed status of some cancer patients (whether caused by the disease itself or the treatment) increases their risk of infection compared with the general population. This short review aims to focus on the impact of COVID-19 on a cancer patient and discuss management options and recommendation in addition to highlighting the currently available clinical guidelines and resources.

SARS-CoV-2 outbreak: How can pharmacists help?

Coronaviruses (CoVs) are a large family of viruses that cause disorders ranging from a mild cold to severe disease. Some of the CoVs are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. In December 2019, the world awoke to a new zoonotic strain of CoV that was named SARS-CoV-2 (standing for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), which has been classified as a high-consequence infectious disease. In addition, serious complications related to COVID-19 have been reported in some patients. These include acute respiratory distress syndrome, acute renal failure, septic shock and ventilator-associated pneumonia. The pharmacist, as a healthcare practitioner, can play an important role in hindering the spread of COVID-19, and can be an active participant in national and community efforts to fight and contain this outbreak.